Canyon County sent out property tax assessments. What homeowners need to know

Canyon County homeowners are opening this year’s assessment notices after several dizzying years in the housing market. Since 2018, the average home value in the county has more than doubled, with the average value for houses in some areas reaching the high $700,000s.

That kind of growth has many residents bracing for big tax hikes — and wondering whether the market has finally cooled off.

Canyon County Assessor Brian Stender said this year’s assessments tell a more nuanced story: The market is far more stable than during the post‑pandemic frenzy, but demand is still strong, and tax bills do not automatically rise in lockstep with assessed values.

Here’s what local homeowners should know.

Has the market stabilized?

Compared with the spike in values over the last five years, Stender said this year’s cycle looks calm.

“Nothing saw a substantial jump from their peers,” he said. “Most values are moved a little bit down and a little bit up, but nothing earth‑shattering that would make you go, ‘Oh, that really stands out.’”

Countywide, the average property assessment of properties within the cities in Canyon County increased less than 1% from $480,509 in 2025 to $484,655 in 2026, according to the latest data from the Canyon County Assessor’s Office.

The county splits up its property assessments for non-commercial properties into two categories: those that fall within city limits, and then those outside and in nearby unincorporated areas. Countywide, the average assessed value for properties outside city limits increased from $616,949 in 2025 to $622,178 in 2026, which is an increase of about 0.8%.

In Canyon County’s largest city, Nampa, property values rose 0.1% from $406,272 to $406,704. The unincorporated areas around Nampa had an average assessed value of $624,873, a 2.7% increase from 2025.

Here’s a look at the average assessed value in other cities and their surrounding areas:

Caldwell: Properties within the city dropped by just 0.1% to $385,635. Properties in the unincorporated areas around Caldwell had an average assessed value of $619,614, a 2.4% increase.

Middleton: The highest average home values were in Middleton, where a 1.6% increase brought average home values to $472,176. The unincorporated areas around Middleton had an average assessed value of $769,764, a 2.8% increase from 2025.

Greenleaf: Properties in city limits had an average assessed value of $423,235, a 3.3% increase from 2025. The unincorporated areas around Greenleaf had an average assessed value of $669,092, a 3.8% increase from 2025.

Melba: Properties in city limits dropped by 1.1% to $332,724. The unincorporated areas around Melba had an average assessed value of $571,613, a 12.9% decrease.

Notus: Properties in the city: $335,071, a 0.1% increase from 2025. The unincorporated areas around Notus had an average assessed value of $583,231, a 1.7% increase from 2025.

Wilder: Property values in the older section of Wilder rose 7% to an average $269,187. The newer area of Wilder city decreased by 3.1% to an average $329,962. The unincorporated areas around Wilder had an average assessed value of $627,393, a 4.1% increase from 2025.

Parma: Values rose 1.4% to a $347,397 average. The unincorporated areas around Parma had an average assessed value of $511,844, a 3.3% increase from 2025.

Property assessments in 2026 are based on the market activity of the previous year leading up to Jan. 1, 2026.

“The beauty of our valuation process is whatever happens on an annual basis, we adjust up or down, reflecting what’s happened in the past for January 1 of each year,” Stender said.

At the same time, the county is still growing. Canyon County added nearly 3,776 new subdivision building lots in 2025, up 37% from the previous year. Most of those are inside city limits, with only a small share in unincorporated areas.

“That new construction has helped absorb demand and smooth out some of the pressure that built up during the boom,” Stender said.

What’s still driving demand?

Demand for housing has not disappeared. One major reason: People keep moving here.

“I think migration is still holding the value up at this point,” Stender said. “We still have a lot of buyers moving in from other places. ... We’re still seeing new homes going up, new subdivisions being developed. We’re not seeing subdivisions just sit there with no construction. We still see demand happening. Homes are selling — there might be a little bit longer time on the market, but they’re moving.”

Stender said that if his own children tried to buy in Canyon County today, it would be “extremely challenging” without some kind of help.

What happens next?

Stender urges residents to check their assessment notice for the homeowner’s exemption. In the middle of the notice there is a line for exemptions. If you live in the home as your primary residence and don’t see a homeowner’s exemption listed, he said you should contact the assessor’s office promptly. Many state credits and relief programs are available only if that exemption is on file.

If you believe your assessment is too high or doesn’t reflect your property’s condition, you have options — but not unlimited time.

The last day to appeal this year is June 22 at 5 p.m. After that, values are effectively locked in for the year.

The assessor’s office encourages homeowners to call them first before filing a formal appeal. Staff can connect you with the appraiser assigned to your area, who knows local sales and can often resolve concerns by reviewing the data together. In recent years, Stender said, the number of appeals has been steady or even declining, particularly in years like this one when the market is relatively flat.

Homeowners should be aware that assessment notices are not tax bills. All tax notices are mailed annually by the fourth Monday of November.